Five Things
by amaranth-sundays
Summary: Five things that never happened to Thayet jian Wilima. Written for Candice's excellent Challenge 24 in the even more excellent Seanfhocal Circle at the supremely excellent Dancing Dove.


I.

" I don't like it. There's bad blood in the Wilima line." Queen Lianne looked worried.

"That's as may be, darling, but the alliance is too good to ignore. It would prevent any trouble with Galla and the north-eastern border- they'd be surrounded. And Tusaine has a lot of Saren trading contacts. The threat of cutting them might prevent further conflict there."

"Oh, Roald, I know the implications are good, but can we risk the- well, the…. stability of Jon's heirs?" She twisted her pale hands around each other.

Roald fell momentarily silent, considering whether or not to play the card that would not fail to win him the argument. It was a little unethical. But only a little, and the alliance would be such a diplomatic triumph that surely it was justified.

"I am well aware that Isinane of the Copper Isles has long been a friend of yours, as I am well aware that-" he paused, trying to be tactful about his wife's lack of subtlety. "That you have harboured hopes for a match between Jon and her daughter. And no family is more renowned for 'bad blood' than the Rittevons. At least the _jin _Wilima is sane, if a little…heavy-handed. As much can not be said for the current Kyprin king."

"Roald! Isinane is-" Words failed Lianne briefly, in her indignation, before she realised that her husband was right. She sighed, resignedly.

"Well. Thayet is supposed to be very beautiful, at least."

"And intelligent," Roald supplied. "I hope she will good for both Jon and Tortall. Thank you for understanding, Lianne." Rising, he kissed his queen's forehead and left the room.

Lianne sighed again.

II.

The Warlord's daughter opened the door quietly and slid inside. "You're not going to let me help, are you?"

Turning away from the window, Kalasin asked, "Help with what?"

"Whatever you and Dalsa have been arguing over for the last week. It has something to do with Father's revolting new laws, I would imagine."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The K'mir turned her glorious, blank mask to face the window once more.

Thayet's normally even temper was frayed by seven days of kneeling at keyholes to hear whispered debates, and waiting to be included.

"Mother, please! Young as I am, I am neither death nor blind and if you think-" She broke of at the look on the older woman's face.

"Do you want to help me plan my suicide?" Kalasin's voice was low and even. "Because that's what's happening, Thayet. In twelve days' time, I'll request an audience in the West Gardens, and-"

"There's no need to say it. I always knew that- I just thought- is it really that bad?"

Kalasin nodded. It is. There's no other way to- to let people know."

There was silence briefly, as both women contemplated the situation.

Thayet shattered the silence.

"I'll do it." Her voice was clear. "That way, we can wake people up to what's going on, and you'll still be here."

The blank mask was gone, replaced by shock at a proposal previously unconsidered.

"Absolutely not, I-"

"Mother, listen. Versed as I am in both K'miri and lowland custom, your knowledge is unquestionably better. You're more use alive than dead."

"And you're not?" Kalasin cried in horror.

"I'm the daughter who should have been a son. Who'll listen to me?" The bitterness of the words did not touch her tone; K'mir were not given to self-pity.

The argument raged for days.

Thayet won.

Buri and her brother held the way against the Warlord's men.

Bracing her shoulder against the door, Buri ignored the grief she could do nothing about, and said "Ready?" through gritted teeth.

She and Pathom dropped and rolled away from the door simultaneously. Springing to her feet as six men-at-arms erupted into the tower, she grinned the humourless grin of someone with nothing to lose, and threw herself into her last fight.

III.

Past the marketplace in Rachia, their odd company was close to the convent when Thayet heard Alanna's yell. She turned to see Liam lunging towards her. He was too far away.

The arrow struck her neck before she understood what was happening. She tumbled from her horse to the hard ground, too amazed to be worried or afraid. It had struck the vital veins in her neck.

I'm losing a lot of blood, she thought dizzily, staring at the sky. I didn't know I had this much blood.

Buri's face was over hers now, panicky and disbelieving. Buri's going to blame herself, she thought. She wanted to tell her not to, but Buri was looking blurrier, and the dizziness was turning to darkness.

IV.

Dusan _zhir_ Anduo was a large, imposing man. Dressed in full lowland ceremonial regalia, he stared as Thayet walked towards him, flanked by two of his most trusted henchmen. For her to escape now would be virtually impossible, but _zhir_ Anduo had learned that risks led to failure.

"Thayet _jian_ Wilima, daughter of Adigun _jin_ Wilima and Kalasin Ramenseng of the K'miri Jinsham, Duchess of Camau and Thanyien, will you accept this man as your husband and overlord until such time as death comes between you?"

Thayet glowered at the corrupt priest, fury and revulsion in every strong line of her face.

"No." She snarled, turning her glare on _zhir_ Anduo. "As I believe I have made perfectly clear, I have no wish to marry this man."

"Darling, I don't believe that's the answer we discussed earlier." His voice was poison as he nodded to the man on Thayet's right.

"Hardly a discussion. If you recall, I was gagged." She winced at the dagger's pressure, but kept her chin up, looking him in the eye.

"Go ahead. Death is more welcome than marriage to you."

_Zhir _Anduo smiled, frighteningly. "For you, perhaps. But what about your clan? Would the Jinsham sacrifice very child, every mother, every elder that you might remain apart from me? I thought not." His voice caressed the last part as her hazel eyes widened.

"You wouldn't," she whispered.

"I would. And those laws your dear mother fought so hard to prevent? I'm sure we could come to some…arrangement over them. Kalasin would have hated to think that her own daughter would pass up the chance to stop something she felt so passionately about."

Her eyes were locked with his.

"Fine," she hissed. "Well done. You've got yourself a wife by threatening genocide. You will make a wonderful ruler!"

He laughed. "Ah, see, even you accept it. I will become Warlord, and my son will rule after me. You will give me many sons, daughter of Kalasin."

V.

On the ride from Port Caynn to Corus, the travellers stopped at an inn, for lunch and rest. Seeing their company suitably entertained, Thayet and Buri retired to a room, planning on a nap.

As they sat down on the bad, Thayet said, out of the blue, "Thank you."

Buri looked at her quizzically. "For what?"

"I know this has been an odd journey, since we left the palace, and- I don't know if you've counted, but- you've saved my life seven times since my mother's death."

"Thayet- I didn't count. You know I wouldn't see you as- you're a friend as well as a Princess, you know."

"I know. And I would have been honoured to know you in any time or place, Buriram Tourakom." Thayet leaned over and kissed Buri's mouth gently.

"Thank you," she repeated.

The K'mir looked at her, then down at her hands. She noticed, detachedly, that they were trembling. Surprise, she wondered, or something else?

Buri met Thayet's level hazel gaze again and nodded, understanding.


End file.
